KRFB demands 1.75cr for restoration

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Until work for the Thakarapparambu flyover is complete, traders along the stretch will have to wait in patience as the non-motorable road has badly hit business.
However, no one will realize the real value of the dilapidated stretch under the flyover until they hear about the restoration charge that the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) has demanded for pipe-laying works.
Pipes have to be laid on a one-km stretch of the Powerhouse Road as part of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica)-assisted water supply project.
When Jica officials approached KRFB, they were informed that a whopping Rs 1.75 crore would have to be remitted as restoration charge for laying the pipe. KRFB plans to develop the stretch into a service road later on.
“They have asked for Rs 7,900 per sq m, which is too high especially considering the fact that KRFB is yet to develop the road. If they had constructed the road, then the high restoration charge would be justified. We have approached KRFB with an application to reduce the amount,” a Jica official said, adding that the cost of road restoration itself is several times higher than the total cost for laying the pipeline.
KRFB general manager N Sudarshanan Pillai said restoration works are costly. “River sand has to be laid on both sides for restoration of ducts. If we do not use the required amount of river sand, the road might settle to a lower level in future,” he said.
Pillai added that a meeting was held the other day where Jica officials asked them to reduce the amount. “Usually a 1.65-metre deep duct is created to lay the pipe. Since this is a large pipeline, it would require a trench with additional depth of 1.2 metres. We said we will consider reducing the amount, if they restored around 1.2 metres. If they agree to restore some portion, the rate can be reduced to Rs 5,600 per sq m,” he said. PWD normally charges between Rs 2,000-5,000 for such restoration work.